What should I do if my dog had green tea ice cream?
If you suspect your dog has ingested green tea ice cream, rush him to the vet immediately for proper assessment and treatment.
Your dog may require hospitalization for several days until he’s out of danger depending on the extremity.
You can also rush your dog to the nearest pet poison control center if your vet is unavailable.
Later, you can do a follow-up assessment with your vet to check if your dog’s health has been adversely compromised.
If you can, bring any packaging labels so that the vet can get a better idea of how much toxins your dog may have ingested.
Do not induce vomiting without your vet’s instructions, as it may worsen the situation.
Your dog may experience aspiration pneumonia if induced vomiting is done incorrectly.
Can green tea ice cream kill dogs?
Green tea ice cream contains caffeine that may be poisonous to dogs.
Unlike humans, dogs are much more sensitive to the effects of caffeine hence, the green tea ice cream can be highly toxic to them.
Whilst one or two lap ups from your bowl are unlikely to cause harm to most dogs, too much green tea ice cream can cause severe health issues, including high blood pressure or even death.
Rush your dog to the vet immediately, as early intervention is crucial to successful treatment.
How long does it take for caffeine to affect dogs?
Symptoms of caffeine poisoning in dogs can start as early as 30 minutes after ingestion and can last anywhere between 12 hours to several days.
Your dog can experience an increased heart rate and a blood pressure spike.
This may cause him to get jittery and restless, pace, or vocalize excessively.
What are the symptoms of caffeine poisoning?
There are several caffeine poisoning symptoms in dogs that can appear within 1 to 2 hours of your pup ingesting caffeine.
Healthier alternatives to offer your dog as treats instead of green tea ice cream
There are plenty of healthier snacks you can safely feed your dog instead of green tea ice cream.
For example, you can offer your dog:
Low-fat plain yogurt
Cottage cheese
Organic peanut butter
Apples
Blueberries
If you’d like to offer your dog a frozen substitute for green tea ice cream, consider whipping up dog-friendly ice cream for your pup.
You can mix peanut butter, low-fat plain yogurt, and pureed bananas, potentially better for your dog.
Potential health concerns of green tea ice cream for dogs
If your dog ingests green tea ice cream even in small amounts, it can pose very dangerous health issues for them, requiring urgent vet care.
These health concerns may include:
Obesity
Allowing your dog to consume green tea ice cream regularly can cause obesity as it has a high calorie content.
Your dog may become overweight which puts him at risk of multiple health issues, including heart diseases or intestinal blockage.
Picky eating
Feeding your dog too many treats, including green tea ice cream, can result in fussy eating.
Not only does it increase the risk of obesity, it can also encourage picky eating behavior.
Diabetes
Green tea ice cream may contain a high amount of sugar that may be harmful to your dog, especially if he’s diabetic.
Excessive sugar intake causes a surge of insulin to be released, leading to a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels, which can cause vomiting, weakness, and seizures.
Lactose intolerance
If your dog ingests green tea ice cream, he can suffer from lactose intolerance as he may experience an allergic reaction to the proteins found in milk products.
These allergies can manifest as vomiting, diarrhea, or itchy skin rashes.
Pancreatitis
Feeding green tea ice cream to your dog can have severe health consequences as it’s high in fat and sugar.
Excessive green tea ice cream consumption can cause digestive upsets and even pancreatitis.
While allowing your dog to have a tiny amount of green tea ice cream is unlikely to cause him irreparable harm, it’s best to avoid it altogether. Green tea ice cream contains caffeine that acts as a stimulant, affecting the nervous system and the heart. Ice cream can also be problematic for your dog as their bodies are not designed to digest milk after being weaned as puppies. Eating ice cream may cause your dog an upset stomach with symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or bloating.
In summary
It may be tempting to offer your fido a scoop of green tea ice cream every once in a while, but feeding him the wrong treats could lead to severe, even deadly consequences.
Always consult your vet before adding anything new to your dog’s diet to rule out any problematic foods or treats.
Hi, my name is Megan Turner and I have worked in a dog’s shelter for four years now. It is truly my dream job, and I see hundreds of dogs every month being united with new owners to give them a loving forever home.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
